Satellite Imagery The Ethics of a New Technology
Satellite Imagery: The Ethics of a New Technology The days of the U-2 spy planes and sputnik are over, the new ethical questions now surround satellites and military secrecy. ... These new communications ethics and the power to govern such technology have been met with controversy. When the first artificial satellite went into orbit in 1957, fears of surveillance from the skies sent military heads into a frenzied pace to stay ahead. ... Many countries now sell their space imagery to news outlets to help bankroll their investments. Satellite technology and imagery used to be military tools for just the super powers such as the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom. ... The French’s SPOT Image Corporation began selling imagery to governments and media outlets, and still continues to do so. In 1993, ABC News defense producer Mark Brender, realized that satellite imagery could revolutionize the news industry. ... The satellite imagery went from conventional aerial photographs to three dimensional depictions by combining SPOT Image digital photos taken from several angles. ... Soon the SPOT images had competitors and space based imagery became a competitive business. ... High-resolution imagery now aid local governments, farm agencies, and newsrooms at an affordable price. The city government of San Francisco commissioned satellite imagery to help produce more authentic and accurate maps. ... These satellite photos were so detailed that individuals in their backyards and on the decks could be seen and identified, where they presumed no one was watching.